Which document guides the content structures for digital geospatial metadata?

The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) is a key document that establishes the standards for the content and structure of geospatial metadata in the United States. CSDGM outlines a comprehensive framework and guidelines for documenting geospatial data, ensuring consistency and interoperability across datasets. It covers essential elements such as identification, quality, spatial representation, and distribution of geospatial datasets.

The CSDGM was crucial for the development of metadata standards and has been widely adopted for ensuring that geospatial data is adequately described, which makes it easier for users to discover and understand the data. This standardization is vital for promoting effective data sharing and usage among various stakeholders, including government agencies, researchers, and private organizations.

While other options like ISO 19115 and its subsequent parts do address metadata for geospatial data, they are part of an international framework and may not specifically focus on the content structure in the way CSDGM does. ISO 19115 provides general guidance on geographic information metadata but may not align directly with the specific content structures that CSDGM addresses within the context of U.S.-based systems.